Saturday, November 30, 2013

What did this Roman, Whitlam, ever do for us?

Whitlam's was a reform government for which policy and economic management were secondary. In less than three years an astonishing reform agenda leapt off the policy platform into legislation and the machinery and programme of government. The country would change forever. The modern, cosmopolitan Australia finally emerged like a technicolour butterfly from its long dormant chrysalis.

Thirty eight years later we are like John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin's Jewish insurgents ranting against the despotic rule of Rome defiantly demanding, "And what did the Romans ever do for us, anyway?"

Apart from:

Medibank

End of the Trade Practices Act

Cutting Tariff protection

No fault divorce and the Family Law Act

The Australia Council

The Federal Court

The Order of Australia

Federal Legal Aid

The Racial Discrimination Act

Needs based school funding

Recognition of China

The Law Reform Commission

The Abolition of Conscription

Student Financial Assistance

The Heritage Commission

Non discriminatory immigration laws

Community Health Clinics

Aboriginal Land Rights

Paid Maternity Leave for Public Servants

Lowering the minimum voting age to 18 years

Fair electoral boundaries and Senate representation for the territories

One might also add the Trans Tasman Travel Agreement of 1973, which opened the borders between Australia and New Zealand. It was the first case of an Australian government adopting an 'open borders' policy in immigration.